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Rajasthan crisis: Relieved, Congress leaders credit Rahul Gandhi
The renewed bid to persuade Rahul Gandhi to accept the responsibility came a day after Sonia Gandhi completed one year as an interim Congress president on Monday.
Congress leaders on Tuesday rushed to give credit to Rahul Gandhi for ending the rebellion in the party in Rajasthan that threatened the survival of its government, and urged him to once again assume the reins of the organisation.
The renewed bid to persuade Rahul Gandhi to accept the responsibility came a day after Sonia Gandhi completed one year as an interim Congress president on Monday.
“The entire country witnessed as to how after 30 days now the political events in Rajasthan have come to a close. This was made possible on account of the vision and the belief of Rahul Gandhi in carrying all Congress leaders together,” the party’s chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said, addressing a virtual news conference.
“It was due to his farsightedness and nature of carrying along everybody that we were able to resolve the differences. He was also helped by the cooperation and assistance given by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra,” he said and went on to praise both Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot.
The crisis ended soon after Pilot met Rahul Gandhi on Monday afternoon. As a way out and to assuage the sentiments of all sides, the party then decided to form a three-member committee to address the grievances of the rebel legislators, including Pilot.
In the evening, Pilot and 17 other legislators supporting him met Ahmed Patel, Priyanka Gandhi and KC Venugopal to seek an assurance that the issues raised by them would be resolved amicably.
Asked if Rahul Gandhi will take up the Congress president’s post now, Surjewala said not 99% but 100% of Congress leaders and workers want him to assume the responsibility once again.
Referring to claims that Rahul Gandhi has refused to return as the party chief, Surjewala said, “I don’t think that anyone of us has recently spoken to him on the issue. When he resigned, he resigned on moral grounds and took moral responsibility (for the 2019 Lok Sabha election loss). What will happen in the future is not for me to comment upon. I am certain that good things will happen in future.”
He added the decision will be taken by Rahul Gandhi, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) and the party at the appropriate time.
Senior Congress leader from Kerala, Ramesh Chennithala, also appealed to Rahul Gandhi to once again assume the party chief’s role.
“We are passing through an unprecedented crisis and Madam Sonia Gandhi has been struggling despite her health issues to rudder these tempestuous times,” Chennithala said in a letter to Rahul Gandhi.
He alleged that the combine of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah had “subverted” the basic principles of democracy, resulting in the fall of Congress governments in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh.
A similar attempt made in Rajasthan was, however, thwarted by Rahul Gandhi’s swift action, Chennithala said.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi also lauded Rahul Gandhi and his team for ending the stalemate in Rajasthan.
“Today because of the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and the efforts of Priyanka Gandhi we have managed to keep one of our own, Sachin Pilot with us. This is the democratic spirit of our party where there is room for dissent and debate,” tweeted former union minister Jitin Prasada.
In a related development, the party has informed the Election Commission (EC) that Sonia Gandhi will continue to hold the post of president till a new president is elected.
In its letter, the party told the EC the process of electing a new president could not be initiated due to the coronavirus disease pandemic and the nationwide lockdown enforced for 68 days till May 31 to slow the spread of the disease.
